Tape holder and dispenser



July 12, 1966 J. T. FERENCE TAPE HOLDER AND DISPENSER Filed Aug. ll,1964 United States Patent O 3,260,431 TAPE HLDER AND DISPENSER Joseph T.Ference, Box 346, Weirton, W. Va. Filed Aug. 11, 1964, Ser. No. 388,8927 Claims. (Cl. 22S-66) This invention concerns dispensing devices and,in particular, a dispensing device for a spool of tape or similarmaterial which is equipped with a unique cutting device for severing thespooled material into desired lengths.

While the 'scope of the present invention includes all types of materialthat may be Wound on a tubular core, it is directed in particular to theproblems encountered when using hand manipulable rolls of adhesive tape,masking tape, and such like. The invention may be employed mostadvantageously with rolls of tape of narrow width mounted upon acorrespondingly narrow core of large diameter. This type of core is used.so that the entire roll of tape may be easily grasped by Ithe hand ofthe user. At the same time, it is highly desirable that some means besupplied for cutting the tape as it is peeled from the roll. However,this means must be small in size, easy to use, and designed with safetyfactors that will prevent the user from possible injury by contact withthe cutting means employed. This is particularly true in the use ofso-called masking tape which is used in all kinds of painting to sharplydemarcate the border of a painted area.

Numerous devices designed for application to the above problems are loldand well known in the art, but all possess specific, inherentdisadvantages. Almost all of them are of complicated construction; thusthey are too bulky to be used easily and fail rapidly when subjected toconstant use. Additionally, it is diflicult to attach and remove `thesedevices from a roll of tape of the category discussed above. Mostimportantly, almost all of these devices are equipped with a cuttingelement, either in the form of a serrated blade or razor blade, whichextend outwardly from the roll of tape that such a device is mounted on.Thus it is easy for the user to injure himself or his work even if theuser is extremely careful.

Therefore, the primary object of this invention is to provide a tapecutter and dispenser having safety features incorporated therein.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a device of theabove character which may be easily attached to and removed from a rollof tape,

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a tape cuttingdevice which may be easily grasped by the hand of the user.

A further object of lthe invention is to provide a tape dispenser havingonly one movable element.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a tape dispenserhaving a removable cutting element.

Finally, it is an object of the present invention to provide a tapecutting device which is of simple construction and thus extremelyinexpensive to manufacture in large quantity.

Further and more complete objects lof the present invention will becomereadily apparent by reference to the following :specifications anddrawings in which:

FIG. l is a side elevational view of the invention in use with partsbroken away to show interior structure;

FIG. 2 is a front view of the invention as shown in FIG, 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along lines 3-3 of FIG. l;

FIG. 4 is a partial sectional view taken along lines 4 4 of FIG. 3.

Referring now to the drawings by reference character, there is shown, inFIG. l thereof, an ordinary roll of ad- 3,260,431 Patented July 12, 1966hesve or masking tape Wound about a cylindrical core 12. The inventionproper generally includes a retaining element and a severing element,the former comprising arcuate flange 16 and sleeve guide 14, while thelatter includes slidable support 18, head 20, and cutting blade 22. Inthe preferred embodiment of the invention, the above items are made ofmolded plastic, in a two-stage operation. The retaining elementcomprises one unit, while the severing element comprises the other; thecutting blade is preferably made of metal or it may be molded plastic orother suitable material, depending on the composition of tape 10. Asshown in the drawing, the blade 22 is embedded in the head 20 during themolding operation. To replace the blade in this construction, the entiresevering element, 18-20-22 is discarded, a matter of no greatsignificance when these parts are produced in large numbers. Ifexpedient, the blade may be held in place on the head 20 as by screwsand replaced in suc-h manner. In addition, the invention may beconstructed from wood or metal, or a combination of wood, metal Y andplastic, dependent on the degree of durability desired.

Flange 16 ts along the inner periphery of core 12 and is provided with apair of retaining lips 24, 25, which retain the ange 16 on core 12. Thelength of flange 16 should be equal to or slightly greater than one halfthe inner circumference of core 12 in order to further assure thesecurity of core 12 on said ange, while at the same time permitting thecore, together with `tape 10, to slide about flange 16.

Sleeve guide 14 is attached to arcuate ange 16 at the upper extremitythereof, as indicated in FIGS. 1 and 3. The upper end of guide 14 abutsthe face of lip 24 and the entire `sleeve guide 14 is angled downwardlyand outwardly from the inner face of arcuate flange 16 to permit thefingers of a user to rit therebetween as will be explained below. Whenguide 14 and flange 16 are not made as a unitary molded unit, the upperend of guide 14 is provided with a curved tongue 26 which extends fromguide 14 at right angles thereto, and is secured to flange 16 by anysuitable means such as rivets 28, 28. Sliding support element 18 fitswithin sleeve guide 14 and is retained therein by means of a slot 30 cutin sliding support 18 and a rivet 32, mounted in sleeve guide 14 throughslot 30. This slot and rivet arrangement limits the verticalldisplacement of support 18. Head element 20, mounted at the upperextremity of support 18 extends transversely across tape 1l), asindicated in FIG. 2, and is provided with an extension 34, as indicatedin FIG. l, so as to provide a broad upper face 36 which is contacted bythe thumb of a user as will be explained below.

Blade 22, mounted at the forward end of head element 20, is preferablylonger than the width of tape 10 so that neat and clean severance oftape 10 is thereby assured. Additionally, blade 22 is angled outwardlyand downwardlyrfrom head 20 to further assure a neat and clean severanceof a Istrip of tape 10a from roll of tape 10. A sharp, right-angleseverance of the exact desired length of tape is highly advantageous incertain applications of the invention. This is especially true in thecutting of masking tape.

The entire operation of the device will now be explained. The entiredevice is placed on the roll of tape by depressing end 38 of ange 16slightly thereby permit-ting the device to be slipped on core 12. Inorder to peel off a strip 10a from roll 10, one merely gra-sps ilange 16about the belly thereof, places ones thumb across upper face 36, andwith the other hand withdraws strip 10a thereby sliding core 12 aboutange 16. With a little thumb pressure added to head 20, strip 10a ispeeled oil along blade 22.

It may be determined from the foregoing that I have invented a novel yetextremely useful tape dispensing device which may be used in countlessnumbers of ways, and thus I am not to be limited to the exactconstruction provided herein, except as may be within the scope of theappended claims.

I claim:

1. A dispensing apparatus for an open-cored spool of wound materialcomprising:

(a) a retaining element having:

(1) an arcuate ange removably secured within the core of said spool;

(2) a guide member secured to the periphery of said arcuate ange; saidretaining element supporting a severing element;

(b) said severing element having:

(l) a supporting member having:

(a) afree end (b) a working end adapted for adjustable engagement withsaid guide member;

(2) a head element having a cutting blade thereon facing said spool andattached to said free end, said spool slidable on said ange forselective severance of said wound material by said cutting blade.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein said arcuate flange is provided with alip on the exposed sides thereof for retaining said spool thereon, thelength of said arcuate ange being approximately equal to, but not lessthan one half the inner circumference of said spool.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein said head element extends transverselyfrom said support, over the outer periphery of said wound material, saidcutting blade adapted to rest on said wound material.

4. The device of claim 1 wherein the length of said cutting blade isgreater than the width of said wound material.

5. The device of claim 1 wherein said guide member is in the form of afemale sleeve, is secured to one end of said arcuate flange, and extendsdownwardly therefrom, outwardly of the center of said spool andoutwardly of the belly of said arcuate flange,

6. The device of claim 5 wherein said support member is in the form of amale insert, slidable within said female sleeve, said guide memberhaving a stop means therein for limiting linear movement of said supportmember.

7. The device of claim 6 wherein said support member is provided with anenclosed slot therein for coacting with said stop means.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,928,148 9/1933Bratz 22S-89 X 2,262,260 11/1941 Smith 225-56 2,576,404 11/1951 Krueger225--89 X 2,756,004 7/1956 Hallwood 225-67 3,109,570 11/1963 Maddalena22S-89 X 3,132,783 5/1964 Duncan 225-89 X 3,134,526 5/1964 Schleicher22S-65 X 3,138,310 6/1964 Blodee 225-65 X FOREIGN PATENTS 844,354 8/1960 Great Britain.

References Cited by the Applicant UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,401,286 4/1945 Wright. 2,587,394 2/ 1952 Shallenberger. 2,731,084 1/ 1956 Burns.2,756,004 7/ 1956 Hallwood. 2,935,230 1/1957 Wolf. 3,109,570 2/ 1960Maddalena.

WILLIAM W. DYER, JR., Primary Examiner.

DONALD L. MAXSON, ANDREW R. JUHASZ,

Examiners.

1. A DISPENSING APPARATUS FOR AN OPEN-CORED SPOOL OF WOUND MATERIAL COMPRISING: (A) A RETAINING ELEMENT HAVING: (1) AN ARCUATE FLANGE REMOVABLY SECURED WITHIN THE CORE OF SAID SPOOL; (2) A GUIDE MEMBER SECURED TO THE PERIPHERY OF SAID ARCUATE FLANGE; SAID RETAINING ELEMENT SUPPORTING A SEVERING ELEMENT; (B) SAID SEVERING ELEMENT HAVING: (1) A SUPPORTING MEMBER HAVING: (A) A FREE END (B) A WORKING END ADAPTED FOR ADJUSTABLE ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID GUIDE MEMBER; (2) A HEAD ELEMENT HAVING A CUTTING BLADE THEREON FACING SAID SPOOL AND ATTACHED TO SAID FREE END, SAID SPOOL SLIDABLE ON SAID FLANGE FOR SELECTIVE SEVERANCE OF SAID WOUND MATERIAL BY SAID CUTTING BLADE. 